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Clever Root Winter 2018

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Citizen Rail's Catch the
Westbound cocktail features
A.D. Laws Rye with Plantation
Stiggins Fancy Pineapple Rum,
grilled pineapple, housemade
falernum, lemon, and cinnamon.
4 2 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t
TRAINS AND FLAMES: Those two concepts more or less sum up the beverage program at the new
contemporary restaurant Citizen Rail in Denver's vibrant, evolving Union Station neighborhood.
Located in the Kimpton Hotel Born, which opened last August, Citizen Rail's focal point is its open
grill, which acts as a constant source of influence for Chef Christian Graves' contemporary cuisine
as well as Lead Bartender Chris Burmeister's inventive drinks. "Guests see charred, grilled, and
blistered garnishes on their drinks—we even toast
housemade marshmallows," Burmeister says of the
grill, which uses both native hard and fruit woods.
An open grill means a focus on proteins like bison
filet, tomahawk steak, and bone-in grilled shortribs,
and the meat is all butchered and dry-aged in house.
To pay homage to nearby Union Station, one of
the city's oldest landmarks, the bar menu's first page
touts a passport-like stamp. Custom cocktails like
the Plunder Road are named for either old train or
heist films; inspired by a 1957 flick in which five men
attempt to rob a gold shipment from a San Francis-
co–bound U.S. Mint train, the liquid version mixes
Del Maguey Vida Mezcal with cantaloupe, clarified
milk, Yellow Chartreuse, citrus, and charred grape-
fruit for a libation that's at once silky-smooth and
smoky. (Burmeister cites it as his favorite drink on
the menu by far.) Meanwhile, the Catch the West-
bound—named for the 2013 documentary Catch the
Westbound Train about transients who arrived in
Vancouver by rail during The Great Depression—
mingles A.D. Laws Rye with Plantation Stiggins
Fancy Pineapple Rum, grilled pineapple, housemade
falernum, lemon, and cinnamon.
Other popular sips at the restaurant include the
Buckshot, a variation on the Rye Buck that re-
places ginger beer with a ginger cordial and a bold,
pine-forward West Coast–style IPA, and the spirit-
forward, Old Fashioned–esque Far from Yokohama.
The latter uses sous vide–poached Suntory Toki Japanese Whisky—a category Burmeister says is
trending in Denver—infused with coconut then mixed with demerara sugar, Bénédictine, and bitters.
"It might sound complicated, but it's actually a very straightforward cocktail after all the prep is
done," Burmeister adds.
Citizen Rail's shot-and-a-beer happy hour promotion hails from some of Burmeister's personal
favorite pairings: A Saison with amaro, IPA with
rye, stout with Bourbon, and lager with bonded corn
whiskey. The fifth combination—a glass of rosé served with a shot of mezcal that reminds Burmeis-
ter of camping trips—is a bit unexpected, but somehow just works. "It's glorious and delicious," he
says. "Smoky and bold next to refreshing and delicate is a no-brainer."
Kelly Magyarics, DWS, is a wine, spirits, and lifestyle writer and wine educator in the
Washington, D.C. area. She can be reached through her website, www.kellymagyarics.com, or on
Twitter and Instagram @kmagyarics.
MILE HIGH COCKTAILS
Meet Me at the Station
CITIZEN RAIL'S
DRINKS PROGRAM
IS JUST THE TICKET
FOR QUIRKY
COCKTAIL LOVERS
by Kelly Magyarics, DWS
Scotch eggs, artichokes, marrow, and
smoked lamb all make appearances on the
dinner menu at Citizen Rail in Denver.
Citizen Rail's bar menu features both classic
and creative cocktail options.
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PHOTOS
COURTESY
OF
CITIZEN
RAIL